Empowering Youth: How Let’s P.L.A.Y. is Making an Impact
What started as an interest group at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2019 has grown into a vibrant non-profit with over six active chapters nationwide.
The flagship chapter, Let’s P.L.A.Y., based at Saint Louis University, is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on encouraging healthy and active lifestyles among underserved youth. Through its chapters at various medical schools, the organization engages medical students in impactful outreach by visiting elementary and middle schools in underserved communities.
Luke Wegenka and Thomas Koch, third-year medical students at SLU, are key leaders of the local chapter and have played a crucial role in expanding Let’s P.L.A.Y. across the country.
“As an M1, I was encouraged to join various interest groups,” Wegenka said. “I was drawn to this organization’s impact on local youth and saw an opportunity to leverage my connections at other universities to help grow the initiative.”
Their recruitment efforts have resulted in six active chapters, with a goal to establish a chapter at every medical school nationwide. Wegenka and Koch, along with M2 students Kaitlyn Storm and Sonia Patel, manage the daily operations of the local chapter, with guidance from faculty advisors in sports medicine and athletics.
“We’ve developed a comprehensive curriculum over the past three months,” Koch said. “Each Let’s P.L.A.Y. session is based on a structured, evidence-based lesson plan that combines brief educational talks with active participation, reinforcing the day’s theme.”
The curriculum also emphasizes values like teamwork, integrity, and patience, while addressing the negative impacts of excessive screen time and sedentary lifestyles. Supported by a dedicated group of SLU medical students, an alumnus and education consultants, the Let’s P.L.A.Y. Education Manual has recently been published on Amazon. The program, funded by various sources including a recent SLU 1818 Grant, recently provided sports equipment to Peabody School, enhancing the physical education resources available to students there.
“The school gets to keep the equipment, and it introduces students to sports they might not otherwise have access to,” Wegenka explained.
Reflecting on their experiences with Let’s P.L.A.Y., Wegenka shared, “Working in this capacity is as upstream as you can get in healthcare—it’s making me think about how I want to serve in my future career.”
“My background in sports drew me to Let’s P.L.A.Y," Koch added. "I’m passionate about preventive medicine, and there’s no better way for youth to learn about it than through an organization like this.”
About Let's P.L.A.Y.
Let's P.L.A.Y. is a nonprofit organization founded in St. Louis dedicated to fostering healthy, active lifestyles among underserved youth locally and nationwide. The initiative operates through chapters established at medical schools across the country, with the flagship chapter originating from Saint Louis University School of Medicine and expanding steadily since our inception. Let's P.L.A.Y. engages medical students in impactful outreach endeavors, bringing them into elementary and middle schools in underserved communities for engaging and interactive sessions focused on promoting healthy habits and values.
Each Let's P.L.A.Y. session follows a thoughtfully structured, evidence-based lesson plan combining brief educational talks with active participation sessions designed to reinforce the day's theme. Topics range from essential life skills like active listening and leadership to practical lessons on maintaining a balanced diet and embracing participation in sports. Leveraging the unique position of medical students, Let's P.L.A.Y. not only instills healthy behaviors but also cultivates a meaningful connection between the future physicians of America and the communities they serve.
Let's P.L.A.Y. empowers young minds to become positive influencers within their own classrooms and communities, nurturing them into healthy, active and inspiring leaders of tomorrow.